Lightning arrester



Dec. 6, 1927.

A. L. ATHERTON LIGHTNING ARRESTER Filed April 6. L53"?! Fig.3

INVENTOR Alf eo L. Af/zer fan.

A ORUNEY I N ESSES: 57 AW Patented Dec. 6, 1927.

ALFRED L. ATHERTON, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTING- HOUSE ELEGTRIC & MANUFACTURING VANIA.

COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- LIGHTNING ARRESTER.

Application filed April 6,

My inicntion relates to lightning arresters, especially to a new type of lightning arrester including suitably shaped bodies of high resistance material, such as plates, so placed as to provide a plurality of relatively short discharge gaps therebetween, the said gaps breaking down at a predetermined voltage.

More particularly, this invention relates to the manufacture of a practical structure embodying the principles of the said arrangement.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide a lightning arrester unit which shall have a relatively large discharge capacity, which shall be self-contained and so formed as to permit any desired number of such units to be readily assembled to provide any desired size of lightning arrester.

In practising my invention, I provide an insulating housing, preferably cylindrical, and generally consisting of porcelain or similar material. I provide a plurality of openings therein, usually arranged symmetrically with respect to the axis of the insulating housing within which the discharge members are. placed. The said members are usually in the form of disks, spaced apart a small distance, 3 to 5 mils, either by mica or other spacers, or by ribs or projections integral with, or separated from, the said disks. Metallic cover members are secured to the ends of the housing, thus enclosing the discharge members and preventing accidental displacement thereof, at the same time serving as all electrical connection whereby the individual sets of discharge members may be connected in parallel.

There is further provided a series of countersunk openings, parallel to the discharge members and arranged in a circle along the outer edge of the insulating hous ing, some of said countersunk portions being on one oft-he ends of the housing and an equal number on the opposite end thereof. The latter openings serve as means for bolting a plurality of the units together to provide an integral structure.

In the accompanying drawings constituting part hereof and in which like reference characters indicate like parts,

Figure 1 is a plan View of a unit made in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view 1923. Serial No. 630,270.

thereof taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1 and i F i g. 3 is an elevational view of a plurality of units bolted together, a part of one of the units being shown in cross section.

A cylindrical insulating housing 1 of baked porcelain is provided with flanges on the ends thereof and a series of openings 2, a and 5 arranged in a circle about the axis of the housing 1. A. series of disks or plates of high resistance material, spaced apart U slightly by any suitable means and usually held together in their proper positions by insulating cement 7, is placed in each of the said openings and they serve as the discharge members of the lightning arrester. A series of openings 8, arranged in a circle concentric with the openings 2, 3, 4t and 5 and spaced along the outer edge of the housing 1, is provided with countersunk portions 9 adjacent to one end of the housing. A similar series of openings 10 has countersunk portions 11 adjacent to the opposite end of the said housing.

Cover members 12 and 13 of copper or other suitable material have their edges 14 and 15, respectively, crimped over the an nular flanges of the insulating housing to securely hold the same in place. The cover members, in addition to serving as means for holding the discharge members 6 in position, serve as an electrical connection whereby the sets of discharge members are connected in parallel relation.

Units of this character may be assembled by placing two such units with openings 8 and 10 in alinement, passing bolts 16 therethrough, and securing the same in place. If more than two units are to be utilized in a lightning arrester, other units are placed adjacent to the first assembled units and bolts 17 passed through openings 8 and 10 and secured in position.

I generally pour a cement 18 of suitable character into one of the countersunk openings to completely enclose the end of the bolt, and allow the same to set. The cement holds the bolts in place and allows the nuts to be threaded thereon with less difliculty. I have found that, with my new structure, there is sometimes a tendency for a dis charge to flashover between bolts 16 and 17 across the countersunk portions 9 and 11, and, to obviate this, the cement 18 is made insulating, thus etleetively preventing flashover, in addition to holding the bolts in position.

lt will be noted that my invention provides a compact unit having a multiplicity of discharge members of predetermined capacity, so that each unit may be designed for any desired voltage. In order to produce a lightning; arrester for any desired. voltage, it is only necessary to assemble the necessary number 0t such units by bolting the same to ether. The construction of: each unit is relatively simple and it is very rugged. In order to repair the same, it is merely necessary to remove one or both of the cover members iemovc the disks from the housing and replace the member.

irithour'h l have described by invention, setting lorth a specilic example of the conatruction thcreo'lf it apparent that my invention not limited to the details shown and described. For instance, 1 may omit the insulating cement l8 and, it desired, replace the metal bolts l6 and l? y non-nu iallic material. meat of the o} enings in the housing is not essential and any other suitable arrangement ma be used in place thereof; 'lhr and various other changes may be made in my invention Within the scope thereot.

I claim my invention:

1. A pa 'allel-con'nected disk-pile structure comprising a pin ality of piles of superposed prepared disks, a supporting body member having a pluralit of perrorations :lor receiving the respective piles of disks, and a metallic plate member secured to each end 0t said body member and constituting the solo retaining means for restraining the disks oi all of the enclosed piles against longiludii'ial displacement and tor electrically con ue ting the several. piles in parallel.

2. il rially connected disk-pile stri'icture comprn ng a sel't-supportin substantially rigid :tack of superposed its. each unit roin n-ising; a plurality of piles of su iierposed prepared disks; a SllppOltlllg body member .iavingr a phurality ot' perforations for receiving: the respective piles of disksc and a metallic plate member secured to each end (it said body member and constituting; the solo retaining means for restraining); the disks of all. of the enclosed piles against longitutlinal disphrcen'icnt and tor electrically The number and arrange connecting the several piles in parallel, the body members of the several units having a plurality of bolt-holes some countersunk on one end and some countersunk on the other end, and bolts in said countersunk liOllZ-llUlti-S for securing the units togethe 3. A lightning arrester con'iprising a plurality of units each including an insulating housing having a plurality of openings therein, a column of resistance members in each of said opening, a plurality of countersunk openings in said housing and bolts in said countc sunk openings for securing adjacent pairs of said units together.

rt. A lightniiug arrcster comprising a series of discharge units disposed upon each other, each unit comprising a body oil? insulating material provided \Titll clud surfaces conforming to the surtaces ot the :uljacent units and having a plurality of perforations extending between said end surlaces, parallel col'i'nnns ol' dischage members disposed in said perforations, two ojli bolt connections, oi ii with respect to each other, for coni'ie'ctingz; each unit to the units disposed on both ends thereof, respectively. and conduct lire plates enclosing the end surfaces of each oi said units and in electrical Contact with the ends of said columns, said plates having openings registering' with said sets of boltconnections.

53. A lightning arrester comprising a series of discharge units disposed upon each other, each unit conun'ising a body o'l in sulatiiig material provided with end surfaces conforming to the surfaces of the adjacent units and having a plurality of perito 'ations extending between said end surfaces. parallel columns of resistance discs constituting a series of minute gaps, disposed in said perto ions, two sets of bolt connections ollset with respect to -ach other for amnectinn each unit to the units disposed on both ends thereof, rew nzctively, and conducting plates: enclosing:- the end surfaces o'l each of said units and in electrical contact with the end terminals of said ('llSL oiilumnssaid plates having,- openings r1 i'ering vvith both (it said sets o l bolt conin-ciions.

in testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed thy name this 29th day of lylarch, 1922- 

